


Twelve Summers or What You Will

by gomushroom



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Community: ninoexchange, Genderbending, Genderfluid Character, M/M, Polyamory, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-24
Updated: 2013-07-24
Packaged: 2018-10-12 03:06:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10480734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gomushroom/pseuds/gomushroom
Summary: One of Ohno’s ultimate assignments as Nino’s fairy god has always been Nino’s soulmate arrangement with Jun





	

**Author's Note:**

> A part of the title is a rip-off of _Twelfth Night_ , which had been an inspiration even if it didn't really stick at the end; there’re also quotes from _Rakuen_ , just saying.
> 
> Written for 2012 ninoexchange.
> 
> This had been a great challenge with its various unfamiliar bits; this was an attempt on fantasy, genderbending/switch, and Ohmiya. For the lovely people who held my (trembling) hands through and through, listened to my moans and ramblings, read this over and made this fic so much better, you guys are the greatest, I love you! 
> 
> And Nino, you're 30, happy birthday!

_As soon as the light dims on the baby’s room, Ohno eases his way toward the farthest box. He hovers above the box, filling his vision with a sleeping small figure wrapped tight in white blankets. He reaches out, not caring about the wide smile splitting his face. This is simply one the best days in his life. His fingers wave just centimeters above the baby._

_“It’s an honor to finally see you,” he softly murmured. The tip of his finger taps the tip of the tiny nose, and a single yellow spark alights gently. “Nino.”_

 

“Stay still, will you? I can’t do this if you’re shifting around,” Ohno insists, hands clumsily trying to fix Nino’s tie to no avail.

“I don’t know why you insist on me wearing tie if you can’t even help me with it.”

“I can help you with this.” Ohno pulls the fabric again, lining both ends parallel, focusing on the next loop. Another one going on the underside, and then another tug. Almost there. “I have to help you with this.”

Nino’s gaze moves down to the empty space beneath Ohno’s feet, then up to the materializing tips of light blue wings behind Ohno’s back. “You’re floating, old man.”

“Am not now.” Ohno hastily descends with a thud, the pads of his toes back on the floor again and his eyes still fixed on the unfastened necktie. “I’m just nervous, okay? You make me nervous. I am not supposed to be nervous. I am not.”

Nino laughs gracelessly in his face.

 

Half an hour later, Ohno stretches back against their old couch admiring his work. He motions Nino to do a turn in the center of their living room.

“No.”

He motions again, satisfied grin and shining eyes. He is as proud as someone who ties ties could be. “Oh, come on. Just one turn.”

“No.” Nino’s already shuffling back to the bedroom before Ohno’s finished talking. In the bedroom, Nino sighs loudly, knowing Ohno can hear him rummaging about the shelves. “Now you’re just trying to make me nervous,” he shouts.

“You should be!” Ohno shouts back, barely hiding his chuckles.

“I heard that,” Nino absently replies. He finds his phone and his suit jacket, picking them up to go. He only needs a fresh pair of socks and then he can go. The sooner he’s gone, the sooner he can end the night; he definitely doesn’t have any intention of staying longer than he has to.

“You are meant to be nervous.”

“Meant to be, my ass!” He deliberately slams his top shelf, a statement he doesn’t mind giving right now. Ohno has certainly been persuasive and accommodating all day; it annoys him to no end. Putting his jacket on, he takes a glance in the full-length mirror and kind of likes the way he look.

Ohno is beaming at him when he steps back to the living room, floating on his seat, legs crossed and still with the same smug expression.

“Stop floating!” Nino snaps, a little too loud for a small apartment. “It’s extremely creepy if you do that when you’re sitting down like that.”

“I’m so excited.”

 

Ohno pats his shoulder, tugging his suit, straightening both sleeves, making sure Nino’s all ready.

“This is annoying. You don’t have to be overly nervous about this.”

“I know,” Ohno answers lightly, picking lint off Nino’s sleeve. “But you don’t have to be either.”

“Stop saying that. I’m not nervous,” Nino says, a little bit too fast to convince both Ohno and himself. “Are you trying to keep me home instead?”

“No, no, no. We can’t have you home tonight. You’re not meant to be home tonight.”

“I’m beginning to hate those words.” Nino holds his chin up high, allowing Ohno to fix his collar. “You owe me big for this. I won’t do this if you didn’t beg, implore, and importune in the first place.”

“I sure did.” Ohno straightens up, nodding his head enthusiastically before patting Nino’s chest for the last time. “All ready. Now, you’re sure you remember the place?”

“It doesn’t matter. You’d be around to drag me back in the right direction should I try to escape this.”

“True, but still.”

“I remember. I also have the directions you asked me to print this morning in my back pocket. I have my phone so you can track me if I as much as take a wrong turn. And you’re going to be literally three floating steps behind. It does not matter.”

“It does matter. You always do,” Ohno nods and whispers.

In the following silence, he leans forward, closing in, giving Nino a solid full kiss. Fluttering his eyes shut, Nino wraps his hand on Ohno’s waist, keeping him on tight hold, brushing the tip of Ohno’s shirt, humming appreciatively when Ohno’s tongue slips in. He sighs at the warmth, and there they are, crowding the entryway. The night is still young, and he needs to go soon; then he feels Ohno slipping gradually upward, causing his eyes to open immediately.

He pulls himself back, trying to nudge Ohno away and failing, arms still around Ohno. He feels Ohno’s mouth move down to peck him on his cheek, and the gently flapping tips of light blue wings fill his view.

“You’re floating! Again!” He halfheartedly shoves Ohno back, getting him to land with no grace and another excited grin.

“I can’t help it. I’m nervous.”

“That’s it. I think you nibbled enough.” Nino runs both his palms down the front of his suit jacket. He’ll smell like Ohno’s for a while, a nice comfort that’ll keep him calm.

Ohno drops a peck on Nino’s cheek, a compliment, and waves him off. “Have a nice night.”

Nino shoots him a short pouty glare and turns promptly to the door.

When the door clacks shut, Nino stops, staring at the ugly carpet of his dim apartment hall, allowing himself to let out the short pants he’s been holding in all afternoon. Ohno will know but he can’t bring himself to care. He’s firm on saying that he isn’t nervous in case Ohno decides to push the matter further since nerves can even begin to explain the tugging he’s constantly feeling at the moment; it’s unnerving, exciting and new.

He fists and unfists his palm, revealing a damp surface. He feels the strong tingles, and from the tips of his fingers a gleam of bright chartreuse dances. It hits him stronger than he’s ever remembered, as if mocking him, exasperating him, branding him.

He never wants this, Nino tells himself, yet inevitably sometimes it rears up and pins him, leaving him no choice. He fists his palm, extinguishing the vivid gleam, letting out an audible sigh. He half hopes that Ohno is still on the other side of the door, watching as always, and knowing that he didn’t want arrangement, perhaps will never want the arrangement, and confessing that he only wants Ohno and nothing else.

“Just get going, Nino!” Ohno shouts from inside the apartment.

“I am!” Nino grumbles, kicking the door for good measure before finally walking toward the stairs.

 

Nino shifts his gaze from the paper in his hand to the building in front of him. An evening cold breeze chides him as he stands motionless in a small alley. The place is fancy if the dim soft light inside and the small dining crowd he saw through the window are any indication.

He enters and requests his reservation details while internally cursing Ohno for arranging such luxury over a simple arrangement. “I have a reservation for Ninomiya.”

The maître d' leads him to the second floor. Empty tables, soft lights and sounds of a violin, distant and rapid, fill the air. At the far corner table, a young man is busy fiddling with his phone, leaning back in his chair, calm and composed.

“Your table, sir.”

At the sound of the maître d's voice, the young man looks up, airy and confident, looking startling in a suit, horrible multi-colored shirt, checkered tie, and something else that Nino can’t figure out yet.

“Have a seat,” he says with a deep voice and piercing glance; Nino has to remind himself that he wants to hate the man but he nods as he watches the man set his phone aside immediately.

Waiting for Nino to stop fussing with his napkin and settle in his seat, he dismisses the maître d' promptly. “Could you bring the order out now, please?”

Nino might hate this arrangement but there’s so little he can do, especially now that he’s sharing the same table with his match, the annoying creep Matsumoto. An unfamiliar rush goes through his blood and he curses the way his body reacts to the young man whose gaze is currently taking his face in casually.

“You already know my name, right?”

“I do,” Nino answers, looking straight back at the man’s face. He’s not going to lose so early in the arrangement. If the man wants to skip pleasantries he’s not going to argue. “I read your file thoroughly, which graciously doesn’t include your photo, Matsumoto Jun.”

 

Nino’s sure that Jun’s fairy and most likely Ohno are listening too. Hell, the whole fairy department can be listening for all he cares. He doesn’t give a damn. He had made this decision the moment Ohno presented the file a month ago. It wasn’t the easiest, but he doesn’t see any other way to wrap this up. It’s about time he came clean with his intentions, set forward his wishes and just get on with it.

Nino tries to reason and begins to present his point as soon as the main course is served. “So, you’re okay with this arrangement?”

“I’m not the one making the choice here. Neither are you.”

“And don’t you think it’s going to be a difficult?”

Jun hums in response, appearing to be fully absorbed in his dish, but Nino knows he’s listening; he pushes his argument further.

“So extremely difficult that we should stop right here right now and end this. I don’t want anything to do with this,” Nino points out, with a tone that he’s hoping will be interpreted as irreversible. “I only agreed to come here tonight to cancel this arrangement to your face. But apparently you don’t seem to share the same interest.”

Jun sets down his fork and knife, slowly chewing his food, before leaning back against his chair to give Nino a blank stare.

Purple hot sparks flash, creating something halo-like, and Nino can’t say that he doesn’t feel a rush seeing that. Those are the sparks meant for him, and for him only. No one is able to see them except him, and somehow the thought makes him swell with something he doesn’t recognize.

“I never thought we’d already have a disagreement from the very beginning. You can’t just cancel the arrangement. That’s insane.”

“I am making it known that I don’t have any interest in you at all,” Nino insists, undeterred.

“Right now,” Jun points out. “Right now, you don’t.”

“You’re not the kind of terrible match who would abuse power and start ordering me around, are you?” Nino isn’t entirely sure himself, yet he keeps his chin up, clinging to faint hope, exceedingly faint now that he’s sitting across from Jun.

“I do like you.”

Nino freezes in his seat as if Jun had frozen him in his seat, limiting everything, crushing his only hope. He had been trying to make Jun see his point, setting himself up as an unlikeable person, being difficult, but perhaps that wasn’t the right strategy. Meeting Jun’s gaze, he sees pale purple zephyr dance behind the man’s chair mocking him, binding his gaze in a trance before he’s able to catch his breath.

“You feel that, don't you?” Jun says, reaching for his wine glass and taking a few small sips. “I feel it too; that’s just how it works.”

“I don’t—I don’t think that’d be best.”

“Gone is that all-mouth attitude with a simple demonstration, I see.” Jun sits back, watching Nino now shifting in his seat even more uncomfortably. “You do acknowledge the power. Well, it’s hard to ignore it, knowing that you’ll probably experience it even more intensely than I will since you seem hell-bent to resist it. Yet, you continue to fight it.”

Nino blinks, stiffening at the suggestion. But he doesn’t show it. Not now.

“I am tempted to ask if is there anyone waiting you that makes it worth fighting this,” Jun lightly points out, catching an escaped flinch across the table. “Ah. So there is someone. There has to be someone. You can’t hate me, or the arrangement, that much.”

“You’re vain.”

“I am. Sometimes I am.” Jun shrugs, tapping his fingers absently as he waits for Nino’s next remark.

All of a sudden, Nino feels the uncomfortable urge to reach for those fingers, clasping them in his palm, and rewind time and start the night all over again, with a different approach. It’s frightening how much he can read Jun, and he can only imagine it’s that much easier for Jun to read him.

“I hate you,” he says instead.

“You’re trying to divert the topic,” Jun retorts, tone hot as his eyes darken slightly before going back to sparking with amusement, “and you’ve failed miserably.”

 

Ohno is deeply focused on his steak when Sho nearly jumps from her seat, barely holding herself, at Jun’s last jab at Nino, almost knocking her wine glass over if not for Ohno’s quick reflexes.

“Dammit, Jun! That’s not what we’ve discussed!” she hisses, carefully covering her face with her hand, trying to compose herself without compromising her makeup. “You’re not supposed be hostile and shit. Not now.”

Sho scoffs loudly when Ohno says nothing after setting the glass a bit farther from her reach. “Satoshi-kun, we need to do something!”

“No, we don’t.”

“But Jun is being a jerk!” Sho persists. “We can’t have this arrangement destroyed by his attitude. I’m so going to teach him a lesson when we’re home.”

“Nino isn’t any better,” Ohno replies absently, still devouring his steak, some dish he can’t even pronounce. The meat is impossibly good; Sho really knows places for good food.

“Satoshi-kun,” Sho reasons, “we need to make this right.”

“No, we don’t.”

Sho is about continue her weak protest when Ohno switches his focus to glance at the far corner table where Nino is currently slumping in his seat, staring at his lap. He’s trying to figure out his next move, Ohno figures, while Jun is staring his match down with a calculated stare.

“See?”

“See what?”

“They’re terrible at this. We need to interfere—“

“No, we don’t.”

“But—“

“We don’t, Sho. We do not interfere with the arrangement,” Ohno says. He turns and fixes his determined eyes on Sho’s. “Your Jun may be hostile and shit. He may be a jerk. And Nino may try to back out from arrangement but we don’t need to make anything right. It’s the arrangement. It is right.”

“Point,” Sho nods, “but—“

“Eat your salad. Let’s not waste this great food.”

Sho huffs again. Ohno has a point, she hates to admit. He has a fine point. She’s just being a worrywart and it won’t help anyone, especially now. She picks up her fork, holding it still in midair as her focus stays on the far corner table. Jun hasn’t made a move yet, she thinks.

“And there’s a drip of sauce on your tunic,” Ohno helpfully points out.

Sho’s eyes dart down and she squeaks, rather loud. “Oh, fuck.”

 

“How’s the food?”

“It’s great,” Nino says, and when Jun doesn’t seem convinced, he adds, “This whole place is unnerving, that’s all. The food is good.”

“I thought so too. But my nagging fairy thought otherwise. She was saying that I need to make a good first impression and that we should have this dinner at this fancy place when I can just fix you something fancy at home.”

“I thought you were the type who went out all the time. Some social butterfly type.”

“You thought wrong,” Jun replies, a bit too quick, and Nino hastily rejoices on finally hitting a sensitive nerve.

“But I’ll take that as compliment nonetheless,” Jun adds, settling his fork aside before meeting Nino’s eyes with determination. “I refuse to let your preposterous reluctance to accept this arrangement spoil my fate.”

“You’re damn serious about this, aren’t you?”

For the first time tonight, Jun smiles wide, all teeth and eerily beautiful. “I’m damn serious.”

Nino knows when he’s lost a battle; his breath comes short, taken away by either the power or the man in front of him. Either way they’re stuck together in this goddamn arrangement, and Nino can’t possibly resist. Jun, as he finds out, can and doesn’t hesitate to overpower him to make a point. Nino still believes he doesn’t have anything to lose yet it seems he won’t be getting what he wants; the impression only exasperates him more.

Still, that smile is a killer, Nino must admit.

 

“Now, when should we have our next date?” Jun casually takes out his planner from his jacket, as the waiter pours their coffee. He looks up to meet Nino’s confused expression. “We need to work to make fate work. I suggest, or rather insist, we have dates.”

“We don’t have to have dates. I’m busy, you’re busy. Let’s save ourselves from each other!”

“I can have Sho, my fairy, deal with my schedule for a while,” Jun says, pointedly ignoring Nino’s weak reasoning. “That’d allow me to take a few day offs. Then, for some additional notes…”

Jun continues to scribble more and more, and more while Nino is growing more and more curious across the table with every point Jun takes down, all serious and thoughtful.

Nino leans forward slightly. “What is it? Why are you taking so many additional notes?”

“It’s necessary to put all these new-found facts down now.”

“New-found facts? About what?”

“About you.”

“About me?”

“About you.” Jun stops writing and looks up to find Nino’s mouth slightly open in awe. He then reads his note: “Ninomiya doesn't like red meat, or perhaps meat in general—it’s worth noting, I’ll look into it later. Ninomiya also doesn’t eat his vegetables—the fact that I find amusing and sad at the same time.”

“You should add,” Nino retorts before he can stop himself, “that I don’t like your flashy wardrobe, that it hurts my eyes, and that I still want to cancel this arrangement.”

Jun’s eyes turn fiery in an instant and Nino honestly suspects he’s going to stir up the purple zephyr haze harsher. He waits for the lash to come for a few seconds, his palms wet as he instinctively leans back slowly into his chair.

“Fair enough,” Jun manages to let out. “I shall put those down then.”

Shifting uneasily, Nino meets Jun’s eyes. They are no longer fiery but suspiciously friendly, a bit too open for his comfort, and he lets out a relieved breath. He didn’t know he was holding it. All he knows is that he needs to keep on fighting this.

 

They stand on in front of the restaurant, cold winter breeze hitting their faces, waiting. Nino notices that once Jun is wrapped in his fluffy winter coat, he looks amazing. None of that flimsy shirt is in sight anymore and it’s so much better; he needs to stop being attracted to the guy.

“Do you need me to walk you home?” Jun casually asks. Nino’s surprised expression draws a warm chuckle from Jun. “Okay. I assume you don’t.”

“You assume correctly.”

“Just checking.”

“I— What are you trying to do now? Isn’t it enough that I agreed to comply after your threat?”

“It wasn’t a threat. I was only delivering a very persuasive demonstration, that’s all.” He turns to find Nino openly staring with a pout and a scolding look. “And I wasn’t trying to do anything just now. I was just asking to check whether you need me to walk you home. Or not.”

“Not!”

“Now, that’s rude,” Jun reminds him mildly. “Even if I’m beginning see how rudeness suits you. Somehow. I’m just going to see how it goes.”

Nino isn’t sure if the power is what gives Jun all his confidence, or if it’s in his nature to play with words like that. It still doesn’t settle nicely for him. Jun is awkward, in his opinion: one with such flashy fashion is definitely awkward and Nino isn’t going to give in easily.

“I’ll be taking my leave now, then.” Jun bows slightly.

“Fine.”

“It was nice to finally meet you, Ninomiya.”

The sound of his name rolling out from Jun's lips shouldn't thrill him. “Oh, fine, whatever.”

Jun smiles again, his best smile tonight. And damn, that power, Nino curses. Damn, damn, damn it.

“Good night. Get home safely, all right?” Jun leans forward, catches Nino’s small chin, tips it up, and drops a light kiss on his cheek before walking away.

Jun’s lips are warm and soft. He smells of wine, and a blush blooms on Nino’s cold cheek. Unwillingly, he might add as realization hits. He stands a little longer, hand going up to touch his burning cheek. “Damn it.”

 

Because Ohno will be home and he doesn’t want to talk about what happened, not tonight, not when Jun’s soft kiss is still lingering in his mind, Nino decides against going home. He enters the dim bar. It’s a another slow night, he can already tell. He notices few of the regulars are seated on their usual tables, and he goes straight to the bar.

“Oh, Nino.” From behind the counter, Aiba welcomes him. “I thought today was your day off.”

“It is.” Nino discards his suit jacket on the counter, climbing on the stool. Both hands on the counter, he meets Aiba’s curious eyes before sighing and laying his cheek on the cool surface.

Aiba raises his eyebrow at the sight but doesn't question further. “So, beer?”

“Or something stronger. A lot stronger.”

He already slides a tall glass in front of Nino’s face. “For starters, let’s have this to cool you off first.”

As he watches Nino finish his beer in big gulps, forcing the bitter cool liquid down, Aiba pours himself a small amount of sparkling water in a glass and waits.

“Who performed today?” Nino asks as he surveys the stage, empty at the moment except for the stand mic and idling karaoke machine; jazz music is playing in the background, almost muted, drawing nothing. Nothing much, but it’s a weekday anyway so you don’t really expect much from it.

Aiba sips slowly, gazing at the empty stage as well. “A new kid. He was nervous. Almost failed to pull off his own tricks.”

Nino snorts a small laugh, sliding his empty glass toward Aiba for a refill, eyes still on the stage. He can hear Aiba shift immediately behind the counter. “You’re too kind. Accepting a new kid is hard on the business, right, even for a slow weekday.”

“Are we talking about the new kid tonight or the new kid back in the day?” Aiba sets aside the beer bottle. He leans forward on the counter, watching the empty stage with Nino. “I’m still putting the beer on your tab though.”

Nino chokes on his beer and Aiba laughs.

 

“Are you having a fight with Satoshi?” Aiba finally asks.

A few hours later, they are outside, sitting on the steps of the bar, huddled close, waiting for the taxi Aiba had called 10 minutes before. The bar is already locked behind them and Nino’s clinging to him drunkenly, stealing warmth.

“I will be,” Nino mumbles comfortably into Aiba’s neck as a hand twists around his waist to pull him even closer.

“I see.”

The taxi takes forever; Aiba then hums a song Nino doesn’t recognize as they snuggle close on a cold night.

“Are you okay now?” Aiba asks him after a while.

Nino opens his eyes. Is he okay? That’s a good question. He is, but he’s not. And he doesn’t know which one he should say so he says:

“I will be.”

“Good enough.”

When the taxi finally comes into view, Aiba waves his hands to flag it down, and then nudges Nino to stand. Together, firm and solid Aiba and wobbly drunken Nino walk toward the waiting open taxi door.

“Aiba-chan.” Nino tugs Aiba’s sleeve after he slides over to his seat.

“Mhmm?” Aiba tucks back strays of falling fringe behind Nino’s ear, letting his fingers brush and linger a while before stepping back and giving the address.

“Thank you.” Nino’s voice is soft, barely audible.

“You’re welcome. I’ll see you Monday? You’re performing some hot new stuff, right?”

Nino nods weakly.

“I can’t wait.” He signals to the driver to close the door. “Good night.”

Nino slumps against the seat sleepily as the taxi smoothly drives away, lulling him more into slumber as the sensation of Ohno’s solid kiss, Jun’s soft peck, and Aiba’s warm fingers emerge, clouding his hazy mind. It’s the beers, he tries to convince himself, shaking away the wild images forming freely as he tries to breathe evenly, wishing he had insisted more on that whiskey.

 

He finds Ohno curled asleep on their bed when he gets home. The bastard, he curses silently, probably faking his sleep altogether. He forces his mind to focus on discarding his clothes before throwing them haphazardly around the darkness of the bedroom. He crawls into the covers, facing away from Ohno, tugging the blankets a little bit too hard over to his side.

Ohno stirs before turning over toward Nino, wrapping his arm loosely around his waist, shifting unceremoniously too close in the distance Nino had set earlier.

“I hate you,” Nino whispers in response, eyes closed already.

Ohno nuzzles closer against him, breathes his welcome onto Nino’s neck, settling comfortably.

 

In the late morning, Nino, waking up slowly and feeling quite well rested, still hasn’t worked up the mood for a fight. His head throbs with dull pain. Nothing too sharp, but it steadily keeps at the back of his head. He almost wishes for a stronger headache, anything to distract him from Ohno’s body heat wrapping him warm and the glowing memory of last night.

“Coffee,” Nino mumbles toward the pillow as he nudges Ohno’s foot with his cold toes, receiving a grunt. “Coffee!”

Ohno complies eventually, dragging himself out of bed, grumbling and floating heedlessly. Nino is about to scold him for his wings knocking into the dresser, but then he reminds himself that he’s not talking to Ohno, not today, and curls back to sleep under the blanket.

 

Ohno still hovers, though keeping his distance, around the house even if Nino’s still mad at him, still mad at everything; he’d spent the whole weekend camping out in their small living room, his papers, notes and decks of cards scattered on the carpet as he practiced his tricks, battling frustration and a lack of concentration. Ohno doesn’t press further; he lets Nino be as he tries to ignore him. He lets Nino snuggle on winter nights when the heat in the apartment doesn’t suffice. He nods when Nino offhandedly suggests they need to build a fort to help insulate the heat.

After that night Jun doesn’t call or check up on him; Nino doesn’t want him to in the first place. He knows he will be meeting the man in two weeks and he’ll have two weeks to plan.

 

“I’m still not talking to you,” Nino impatiently retorts when a pair of boots comes into sight and stops beside him. “Also, how many times have I told you not to wear your dirty boots in the apartment?”

He slowly sets his study notes aside to look up, finding Ohno not only employing fishnet stockings that encase those knobby knees, a short black skirt with a small frilly apron, firm long fingers holding a tray with a tea pot, low cut neckline and a slung white tie, but also lush red lips, pink cheeks, brown curls in pigtails, and a stark white maid hairpiece.

“I’m not touching the floor,” Ohno says, bobbing a subtle curtsy now that Nino has taken in her appearance entirely.

“And no floating!” Nino scolds her.

“It’s harder without wings but I manage.” Ohno descends before she kneels and sits on her feet, still holding the tray. “I take it you’re hungry. You’ve been at this the whole afternoon. I brought tea and snacks.”

“You think you can pull this maid stunt off with me? I’m not twenty anymore, old man.”

“I know,” Ohno says, grinning, slowly setting the tray down on the carpet, smoothing her skirt, “but I’m out of fresh clothes.”

“Yeah, right.”

At Nino’s weak protest, Ohno reaches for the teapot and pours a mug and hands it to Nino. “Here you go.”

Considering his options—the sooner he lets Ohno settle in her place the better—Nino doesn’t utter a single protest about the tea. He lets Ohno unhurriedly arrange a few crackers on a small plate for him, setting aside the tray before all the questions he’s been holding in all week come out of his mouth: “Are you really going to let this happen? Are you going to let Jun take me?”

“I’m really going to let it happen,” Ohno begins, after an unsettling silence that seems to be forever. “Just like I’m going to let Jun take you.”

Nino is fast. He slams his mug on the tray, already leaping up to stomp out of the living room, but Ohno is faster, tackling Nino and dropping both of them on the floor, cushioning Nino’s fall with her body, pinning him on the floor the next second.

“I’m not done.”

“I’ve heard enough.” Out of breath, Nino looks away as he weakly tries to push Ohno away, causing sparks of yellow stars to glow on his hands. “Get off me. You’re just going to do nothing as this arrangement ruins my life, ruins our lives.”

“Nino,” Ohno chides him gently. It is harder to settle her legs on either side of Nino’s legs with the skirt but Ohno manages just fine, now straddling Nino and pressing close. “Just because Jun is taking you it doesn’t mean he’ll be getting rid of me. You need to understand that.”

“I don’t need to understand anything!”

“Yes, you do.” Ohno leans even closer, sounding calm. “This attitude won’t work on me, you know that already. This attitude never works on me.”

Light blue wings now flaps heavily against the ceiling as Nino averts his eyes from Ohno’s persistent stare, betraying Ohno’s cool charade and giving out a hint of desperation; Nino has known that Ohno, for all his coolness, has full control of his wings, except for moments of distress and excitement.

“That’s why I hate you even more.” He keeps his face straight. “And your boobs are pressing against my chest, annoyingly.”

“Why yes, they are.” A frown disappears from Ohno’s face. She looks down, giggling softly, pressing down further, letting all her body weight fall upon Nino. She squirms as a pair of hands squeezes her ass. “They so are.”

“I still hate you,” Nino mumbles as he tugs her down, asking for an open mouth wet kiss.

 

Twelve summers ago, Nino answers the door of his new apartment and meets a somehow familiar face. He’s about to swing the door closed without warning but the man speaks: “I should’ve been delivered in a box but that’d freak you out. So here I am with one instead.” The small man digs into his jeans pocket and takes out a small box and hands it to Nino.

Reflex works before logic and Nino is already frowning over the box in his palm in confusion. “Huh? Is this a delivery?”

He brings his gaze up to carefully look at the man on his doorstep; he clearly isn’t wearing any courier uniform, and he doesn’t have a nametag he can check. Just a simple pair of jeans, a snug light sweater, harmless and, Nino decides, somehow warm albeit non-descript.

“Well, you can put it that way. I’ll see you soon and happy 18th birthday, Nino.” The man smiles easily, shifting lightly on his feet, his eyes already looking beyond Nino’s shoulder, showing his open interest in Nino’s flat.

Nino turns away quickly, making sure that he isn’t opening his door too wide. The man couldn’t really see his living room from this angle but just in case. When he turns back, he meets an empty space that used to be the man. No one is on his doorstep anymore. He looks down at his hand, at the small box, still bewildered. He surveys the hallway, making sure that the man isn’t hiding in the corner before closing his door still in confusion.

 

_The head of the department looks up from Ohno’s report and nods at him. “Well done, Ohno.”_

_Ohno beams proudly. “Thank you, Sir. I believe that trick was necessary.”_

_“Do you have any other points to report regarding your care?”_

_Ohno bows. “None that demands your immediate attention, Sir.”_

_“Just be ready for final relocation in a few days, okay?”_

_“I’ve been more than ready, Sir. Any time."_

_“Very well. You’re dismissed."_

 

Nino meets Jun regularly now, if every weekend can count as regular. Jun takes him to the movies, shows Nino his workspace at home, goes through lengthy explanations about his administrative work at the Ministry, and treats him to fancy and delicious food.

He silently appreciates Jun’s effort to keep everything slow, and in return he doesn't try to pick any more fights. Ohno keeps him updated with Jun’s files and Nino finds himself rereading them when he’s not practicing or even digging out his old magic books to study.

One afternoon, Jun has Nino sitting at his kitchen counter with the promise of delicious homemade _udon_. He lets Nino nurse his ice tea as he proceeds to do the simple preparations.

“I want to meet your fairy,” Nino suddenly says. It’s his fifth visit to Jun’s apartment but he’s never met said fairy. If he’s going to let Jun meet Ohno, he knows it’d be better to set a time after he meets Jun’s.

“You want to meet Sho?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“Just curious. I thought I would’ve met her now that I’ve been here often, by my standard. But I haven’t.”

Jun begins arranging the noodles after he’s satisfied with the broth. “Well, this hasn’t come up in any of our talks. I thought you didn’t want to talk about or meet my fairy. Yet.”

“I don’t want to talk about it but I want to meet her. From what I read, she’s an Escarlate.”

“Oh, yes she is one indeed.” If Jun is surprised that Nino read his file thoroughly he doesn’t show it. He sets a ready portion aside. “It can be arranged easily since she’ll be back from her trip shortly. Is sometime next weekend okay? I can send her to meet you.”

“Okay.”

Nino settles back into comfortable silence as Jun sets another bowl on the counter before he goes to the fridge to dig out something else.

He waits a while before inquiring. “Aren’t you going to ask?”

“Ask what?”

“To meet my fairy?”

“Satoshi?” Jun says, coming back to the counter with small plate of chopped green onions. “I don’t need to ask to meet Satoshi; I already did.”

Nino gapes openly. “You already did?”

“Yeah.” Jun glances and winces at Nino’s surprised expression. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know if it was going to surprise you. I met him months ago.”

“Months ago?”

“Mhmm, about a few days after our first meeting,” Jun clarifies.

“Why wasn’t I informed?”

“I asked him, or to be precise, I bound him to not talk about our meeting with you,” Jun explains, still looking at Nino. “He can’t talk about it with you even if he wants to.”

“You’re slick,” Nino says. Somehow it’s easier to know that it’s been settled already. He doesn’t want to deal with the awkward big meeting or anything.

“That I am. After all I wanted to know more about that someone who put you in such a hostile mood during our first meeting, someone you think is worth fighting for.” Jun turns, wearing a smile and holding a steaming bowl of udon, closing the discussion promptly and leaving no question unasked. “Here you go.”

“Thank you,” Nino says, before adding for emphasis, “for the food.”

Jun laughs animatedly as he sets his own bowl down. He hands Nino his chopsticks. “Shut up and eat, Ninomiya.”

 

Nino sighs in irritation, dropping his notes with force, sending stars sparking. The bell has been ringing for a while, a melodious but still annoying tick-tock one-two ring. He hopes Ohno gets the door soon enough, scaring away whoever it is and allowing him to get back to his practice and nail his latest trick.

He glimpses at the clock on the wall. Twelve noon already. Stretching his throbbing knees, Nino lies on the floor a while, blinking his mind back to the present.

“Nino, you have guest,” Ohno announces from the entryway, before he pads, not floats, her way to the living room together with a lean chic figure. “This is Sho and she’s here to see you.”

Nino rolls to see the fairy bow at him slightly before quickly turning to sit on his knees to bow back.

“I believe you have things to talk about. I’m just going to make myself scarce and try my best to not eavesdrop,” Ohno smirks cheekily, retreating dramatically to the bedroom.

“Shut up,” Nino scolds him, fully aware that Ohno will hear anything anyway, a fact that he had accepted long ago. “Go away!”

His focus turns back to Sho, still standing rigidly with her neat business suit in the middle of the room with raised eyebrows as she observes him and Ohno quietly.

“Have a seat.” Nino stretches luxuriously before limping to the kitchen; working on the floor is always hard on his knees, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. “Do you want something to drink?”

“I’ll have whatever you’re having. Thank you,” Sho pipes.

Nino decides on cold green tea, walking back to the living room with two glasses. “Here you go.”

“Thank you.” Sho settles on the far end of the couch gracefully, setting her handbag down to receive her glass. “Jun said that you need to see me.”

“You’re pretty,” Nino begins.

“Ah, thank you.” Sho blushes, prettily, before she looks up to meet Nino’s curious eyes. “But I suppose that was you playing your tricks on me. Jun said that I need to be careful with you, never let my guard down, as you are very smart and, using his word, slick.”

It warms Nino’s heart in an instant, both Jun’s instructions for Sho and Sho’s earnestness in taking the instructions seriously. He sips his cold tea considerately, trying to find the best approach to get to the main point without sounding like he has more than a mild interest in Jun.

“Ninomiya, I know why you want to meet me,” Sho helpfully points out, “and if it makes it easier, you don’t need to ask and I will just answer. How about that?”

Nino stares for a while longer before he lets out a chuckle. “You surely are different than mine.”

Sho’s laugh is rich, boisterous, and contagious. “Of course. That goes without saying.”

“I was just curious.” Nino finds himself smiling at Sho who now appears more relaxed on the other side of the couch. “But I guess, there were questions I wanted to ask.”

“Questions you want to but can’t ask,” Sho supplies and smiles at Nino’s faint scowl. “I am straightforward in nature and, it doesn’t really matter if you believe me or not at the moment, but I want to help you. Helping you will be helping Jun and that’s what I am meant to do.”

Nino sighs, tired of hearing the word constantly thrown at him for the past months rather than huffing over Sho’s lengthy speech. “I hated that word.”

“Past tense,” Sho grins nonetheless.

“Let’s say I say yes,” Nino says, directing them back on topic, “yes, I have questions, and worries, about the arrangement.”

“Regarding your questions, I believe you have already come up with some answers.” Sho puts her glass on the side table before turning back to Nino, with all her seriousness, raising a hand when Nino starts to let out a comment. “But let me lay the facts out in the open here. Let’s say you were asking about my being with Jun because it can then imply your being with Satoshi-kun.”

“That’s a complicated way to lay those facts out in the open.”

Sho ignores Nino’s tone and continues, “I will rush to Jun’s side every time he has problems. I will try my best to fix it so I can help him to reach what he’s destined for.

“My approach caused problems for us back when he was young and extremely difficult. I made mistakes too; we fairy gods do. I used to think that my being always there would solve anything. Problem is, this fairy god thing doesn’t always work that way.

“Sometimes I have to let him go, let him deal with his problems, and stand back, stand back within reach. Being there when he needs me doesn’t mean being there crowding him all the time but being there when he as much as turns back and needs to find me, turns back to admit that he needs me; I am going to be there, always.”

Sho plays with the hem of her skirt, a gesture Nino suspects is a quirk when she is rearranging her thoughts before she delivers her lengthy speech.

“Satoshi-kun is completely different,” Sho continues, eyes gazing faraway. “He needs to be different. He doesn’t deal with Jun. He deals with you. You are not Jun and Satoshi-kun knows that. You are definitely not a textbook case.

“He might be doing nothing over the fact that you’re uncomfortable with this arrangement, but I think it’s his way of letting you know that you need to sort this out yourself. By doing nothing he’s helping you. I know it’s not easy for him, or for you. Nothing ever is.

“Arrangements are not something that are only meant to be. It needs work and effort put into every part of it. We have to fight for what we’re meant to be.”

Nino sips the last of his cold tea, as he waits.

“Ninomiya,” Sho says, holding his gaze, “Satoshi-kun will stay near while doing nothing to interfere. All the same, I will do anything to win my battle for Jun, including rushing to his side and nagging him about everything.” Sho’s grin blooms onto her face. “Ohno has his ways, I have mine.”

“What we talked about here stays here, right?” Nino muttered, eyes cast down. Sho has confirmed more than enough; he couldn’t put it in better words and for now it’s enough.

“Of course. Jun will not be privy to this conversation. I will say that I spent the afternoon watching your magic tricks,” Sho assures him, before smiling with glee. “He’ll be so jealous.”

Nino chuckles. “You’ve seen nothing.”

“I think I’ve seen enough.” Sho scoots forward, leaning to give Nino a kiss on the cheek. “We should play piano together sometimes.”

“Mhmm.” Nino blushes but doesn’t pull away, nor does he ask how Sho knows about it.

Sho doesn’t scoot back, staying near Nino, and she is more relaxed now, and waits.

“You know, Sho-chan.” Nino looks up, offering a sincere smile. "I had this pain in my heart."

“Another past tense,” Sho giggles triumphantly. “I’m glad I’ve been helpful.”

 

Undoing his bolts and opening the door, Nino takes one glimpse and welcomes Jun in.

“Hello,” Jun greets back, hair a bit ruffled, sans the suit. He has his sleeves rolled up and his bag slung on his shoulder.

“You should’ve come sooner because mine and yours are currently wrecking my kitchen.”

“You let Sho touch your kitchen appliances?”

A scream follows, with bursts of laughter coming from the kitchen. “I shouldn't?”

“You should never. Never ever.” Jun rushes in toward the kitchen. “You should never with Sho.”

Together they arrive in the kitchen to find Sho and Ohno hunched and giggling over lines of complete nail polish sets.

“Oh, Matsumoto, hello.” Ohno looks up first.

Sho follows, giddily welcoming Jun. “Hey! Did you know Satoshi-kun has these sets and never told anyone?”

“That’s because you never asked.” Ohno nudges Sho playfully, earning another delighted squeal.

Ignoring their fairies, Jun turns to Nino questioningly, finding him smiling back, wide and full of mischief. “Did I miss something?”

“Mhmm, no.” Nino winks. “Nothing really.”

A range of emotions flashes through Jun’s face before he smiles back at Nino. He reaches up to cup Nino’s chin, holding up his chin before landing a hard kiss on the mouth without warning.

“What’s that for?” Nino asks as his eyes flutter open at the loud calls of ‘wohoooo’ from across the kitchen.

“Mhmm.” Jun winks at him. “Nothing really.”

 

On one corner of the couch, Nino snuggles against Ohno, while Sho is reviewing Jun’s work documents on the other. They’ve decided on some fast food chicken wings delivery for dinner, earning excited agreement from Sho and Ohno and reluctance from Jun before he inspects Nino’s fridge, calling him helpless and caving in.

Jun sits cross-legged on the floor, reading one of Nino’s magic tricks books as he sips his coffee.

“Hey, Sho-chan,” Nino calls absently, “what color are your wings?"

Sho freezes instantly and Nino has never seen Jun whip his head so fast toward her.

"You have wings?"

Sho drops the document and throws a threatening glare at Ohno. "Satoshi-kun!"

“Gotcha, Sho-chan.” Grinning innocently, Ohno shoves Sho playfully.

“Wait,” Nino says, "we’re not supposed to know that you fairy gods have wings?"

Jun is insistent. "You have wings?"

Sho rolls her eyes at Ohno, ignoring Jun’s insistent curiosity. "I have to report this, Satoshi-kun. This is against the rules. You're taking this too far!"

"They already know," Ohno says calmly. "I've been well and thoroughly dressed down. Nino already knew a long time ago so I figured, why bother holding it down if I can’t?"

“ _You_ have wings?"

“I don’t use them, Jun.” Sho finally turns to Jun, embarrassed. “I don’t fly, okay?”

“ _Can’t_ fly, to be exact,” Ohno teases her.

“I can fly of course. They taught that in school, but I’ve made a firm choice. So I just don’t.”

Nino is fast. “Are you afraid of heights?”

“I am not!”

“Wow, Sho,” Jun laughs, amused at the new discovery. “ I thought I knew everything about you.”

“Well, you don’t.” Sho bites her lips, face flushed.

“They’re scarlet, right?” Jun unfolds his legs and reaches out to take hold of Sho’s hand, tugging good-naturedly. “Will you show them to me?”

At that exact moment Nino witnesses pure adoration, pride and love bloom on Jun’s face. He knows that it’s all for Sho yet it doesn’t settle uncomfortably in him. He’s familiar with the feeling. He’s familiar with it because he feels it, is sometimes unable to contain it when it comes to Ohno. Sho’s last words ring in his ears:

 

_“We have no choice but to accept the arrangement, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t make arrangements within the arrangement. It’s up to us to decide after all. After all I find it useless to fight this," Sho concludes. "For our kind, fate is not something you fight against."_

_“It’s just difficult," Nino admits, face flushed._

_“It is. But we’re together in this.”_

_“We?”_

_“All of us.”_

_“But.” Nino knows that it might be reaching but he has to let it out. “This is not all of us.”_

_“Yes, I know. Aiba-chan, right?”_

_“I hate it when your kind knows what I am about to say before I even know what I am about to say."_

_“That’s a complicated way to say what you want to say, but I see what you mean. We’ll fix that. Together."_

 

“Show you what?” Sho’s cheeks go crimson.

“Show me,” Jun repeats, “your scarlet wings.”

“Be good and I’ll probably show them to you when we get home.”

This time the loud calls of ‘wohoooo’ come from across the couch, Ohno and Nino cheering for both of them.

 

A few months later, even if he’s been expressing his wish to see Nino at his workplace, Jun hasn’t been able to show up. Nino still goes to work every Monday and Wednesday, nothing out of the ordinary as he holds on to routine, letting himself go through his days just as before.

“Best of luck,” Aiba shouts from behind the bar as he serves two glasses to the costumer, giving him a thumbs up.

Nino gives him a salute in return and heads for the stage.

Once he’s on stage, it flows naturally. Card tricks have been his best ability since he was in school, and it’s nothing complicated as he flicks through cards, charming the audience, getting their curiosity piqued and revealing new tricks week after week. Easy moves, quick spreads, flicks of cards later, Nino finishes his last session for today; applause at the end of day, complimentary or sometimes even more enthusiastic, is more than enough for him.

He walks back toward the bar, smiling his way through the thin crowd, and meets Jun.

“You’re here,” Nino greets him excitedly. “Since when were you here? And why are you sitting at the bar? Can you even see me performing?

“I do have heightened sight. I see you performing just fine from here.”

“You sure about that heightened sight?” Nino steps aside to sit on the stool next to Jun. “You wear glasses when you read.”

“Heightened sight has nothing to do with nearby objects.”

“You’re farsighted?” Nino chuckles, shaking his head. “The things I learn about you every day. It just gets better and better.”

“Well, I am. Ironically enough. But I caught all of your performance session,” Jun assures him. “That was impressive.”

“Thank you.”

“You don’t use magic but you perform magic. Nicely if I may add. I found it very interesting.”

“I bet you did.” Nino sets his card decks on the counter, looking down to hide the blush creeping onto his cheeks. “I need a drink. Do you want anything?”

Jun gestures to a glass in his hand. “Your Aiba-chan said it’s on the house.”

“He loves giving away drinks on the house,” Nino says. “I don’t know how he can maintain his business.”

Jun sips his drink. “It’s a slow night after all.”

“No,” Nino corrects him, “this counts as a full house.”

“Really?” Jun asks, surveying the half full bar, people nursing their drinks and only one rowdy bunch of students keeping the atmosphere lively. “How can he maintain his business then?”

“I know, right?” Nino looks around to find Aiba, but the man is nowhere to be found. He might be in the kitchen. Nino can wait for his drink.

“Nino,” Jun calls, stopping Nino from shuffling his cards back and forth while waiting for Aiba, “just out of curiosity, don’t you have bigger dreams? Bigger than this?”

“I don’t,” Nino replies simply. “I don’t like bigger dreams. They hurt more when they shatter in you face. And if you’re so eager to understand me, understand this. I don’t dream, I live.”

“No need to get prickly now. I know it’s a touchy subject and I was just curious. You’re a Goelo, right? Don’t you ever want to explore that?”

Nino sighs. While he appreciates Jun knowing it’s a touchy subject and being careful to bring the topic up, it’s still difficult for him to talk about this with others. It’s not just other people, he reminds himself, it’s Jun. “I did my share of exploration, the full spread of mind-reading shit and then some right after I graduated, for two years. I don't want to do it again.”

Jun reaches his hand out to Nino’s shoulder, giving him slow soothing touches, and Nino realizes that he’s shaking as he meets Jun’s concerned gaze with a silent challenge: I don’t want to talk about it.

Jun smiles instead, letting Nino off from explaining without a word while keeping his hands on Nino’s shoulder. “Then you never have to.”

Aiba strolls toward them behind the counter and Nino is glad for a solid distraction. "Aiba-chan, where have you been? I want my session beer, please!"

“A little catastrophe in the kitchen,” Aiba says, already pouring beer into a glass and sliding it in front of Nino. “It’s all under control now, don’t worry.”

“I never do,” Nino says, reaching for his glass before he remembers. “Oh, and this is Jun.”

Aiba smiles brightly. “Ah, you’re Nino’s soulmate!”

Jun turns to Nino who’s having a small fit of coughs with a raised eyebrow. “So you told him already.”

“I told him nothing.”

“Let’s say,” Aiba whispers dramatically, “Nino has a loose tongue when he’s drunk.”

“I see. I’ll keep that in mind.” Jun laughs, much to Nino’s mortification. “I’ll have another of this then, Aiba-chan.”

“Right on.” Aiba nods. “Again, it’s on the hou—“

“I’ll pay for this one properly and the one after this. In fact, I’ll pay for Nino’s beer.” Jun cuts him off, leaving Aiba speechless. “Let’s say it’s a celebratory round of drinks on me.”

“If you say so,” Aiba says before going to the far end of the counter to fetch a new bottle. “I’ll put it on your tab.”

“You do that,” Jun says, turning to find Nino throwing a weird stare at him and a soft kick to his shin. “Ouch. What?”

“Showoff.”

“Does it work for you?” Jun grins back at him, so achingly familiar by now; those tired eyes, searing and offering open understanding and laughter, those crooked lips, smiling for him and for him only.

Nino leans forward, clutching the lapel’s of Jun’s suit, pulling him closer, and kisses him full on the mouth, lingering before pulling away. “Fortunately, it does. Very effectively.”

 

As soon as Jun kicks his apartment door closed, Nino presses into him, hands searching blindly for Jun, wanting to feel up as much as skin as he can. Jun wraps him close, tracing kisses down his throat and promising more.

“Hmm.”

Nino’s hands stop abruptly and he hears Jun sigh heavily behind his ear before he realizes that they are in Jun’s apartment, which also means that there’s someone else in the house.

Nino pulls away from Jun slightly and turns to find Sho grinning from ear to ear as she leans on the end of the entryway before burying his burning face in Jun’s neck.

“Sho,” Jun groans. “Not cool.”

“Sorry about that. You were too engrossed in each other.” Sho twirls away toward the living room, her summer dress waving merrily. “I’m just kindly informing you that I’ll be shimmering away to Nino’s place tonight and having a slumber party with Satoshi-kun. Any minute now.”

“Hold that thought.” Jun drops a kiss on Nino’s forehead before taking Nino’s hand and heading inside the apartment to scold Sho. “You just did that in purpose, didn’t you?”

“Maybe.” Sho’s already putting her bundles of documents away, going to the bedroom and walking out with her makeup pouches, shoving them all in her big bag and then announcing cheerfully, “I’m ready to go!”

“Now that’s record breaking,” Jun comments dryly, not wanting to delay Sho any longer.

“He’s a boy today,” Nino manages to let out now that he’s steadied his uneven breaths.

“Ah, bummer!” Sho glances her wristwatch. “But it’s already near midnight so it won’t be so bad.”

“Just go,” Jun says.

“I’m going. I’m going.” Sho paces the living room, searching for things she might have forgotten. “I’m sure I already have everything ready…”

“Sho, just go. Satoshi will have whatever you need”

“And don’t come back until I get home,” Nino adds.

“Very well, Ninomiya.” Sho grins, excitedly wagging her fingers at them.

Jun turns to him, meeting Nino’s eyes with amusement and delight, and he leans down to drop deep kisses that Nino welcomes gladly.

“Have fun, you two.” Sho rolls her eyes at the kiss and whirls dramatically before disappearing among a soft haze of brilliant red.

“This is supposed to be weird,” Nino murmurs minutes later, the two of them still standing in the middle of the living room, holding each other impossibly close. “This is supposed to be super weird.”

“But it’s not,” Jun corrects him, titling Nino’s face slightly to lick his ear. “It’s right. You’re right.”

Nino slides his leg over Jun’s leg and his hands sneak easily under Jun’s shirt. Jun returns the bold action, holding Nino’s face steady, patiently coaxing his lips to give fuller access to him all over again. Nino shivers, his hands trailing up and down Jun’s back, finding soft skin. Jun hums his consent as he kisses Nino again.

At the moment, Nino wants nothing more than to blame the arrangement, to resist, but Jun lifts him off his feet, deepening the kiss, thoroughly kissing his open and wet lips and asking for more as it allows short pants to escape. Nino leans away slightly, opens his eyes, finding Jun’s brown eyes, open, without shadows. A soft purple haze clouds his vision, encasing them in the moment. He lets out a smile, a welcoming smile, pressing his hips up slightly to be rewarded with a moan.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment, dreaming of this, wanting this,” Jun pants heavily, purple haze turning into just slivers of faint floating stripes as he sighs.

And at that moment Nino sees Jun fall apart, trying to hang on to the last line of sanity. He isn’t the only one who feels the pull, who feels the power. Jun does too, or maybe Jun feels it stronger, but Nino will not find out if he doesn’t act on this tonight.

“Shut up and kiss me again,” Nino breathes, “and just take me to bed already.”

“Ninomiya,” Jun growls, wet and heavy on his swelling lips, and Nino has never heard his name drawled out so alluringly from anyone’s lips.

Nino gladly surrenders. “Jun, it’s Kazu.”

 

Aiba comes over for dinner at Jun’s apartment upon Nino’s invitation for their anniversary. He says it was hard to find a replacement behind the counter but then decided that he would happily close the bar for one night if it’s for Nino and Jun.

Jun serves his _udon_ specialty at the kitchen counter, impressing the pants off Aiba who asks for seconds before Nino finishes his.

“Nino, you really need to keep this guy,” Aiba says, slurping his noodles noisily. “This is absolutely delicious.”

“I am.” Nino looks up to a satisfied Jun. “I am, Aiba-chan.”

“I’m glad,” Jun says, setting the dessert plate on the counter. “I’ll leave you two at this. I have a skype conference in a while.”

Aiba nods, trying to thank him with a full mouth and failing.

“Just take your time. I’ll be back when I’m done.” Jun pats him on the back on his way out of the kitchen. “And Nino knows where everything is if you want your second seconds.”

Nino knows that the skype conference is an excuse and Jun is giving him time and space to be with Aiba.

“Aiba-chan,” Nino begins when they have set aside their bowls and Aiba’s devouring the macarons. “I’m going to move in with Jun.”

“Oh, okay. I kind of saw that coming.”

“And I’m still gonna be clingy,” Nino continues.

“I think I had gotten used to you a long time ago, and since then it’s not the same when you’re not around.”

“Please never stop.” Nino reaches out to grab Aiba’s free hand. “Keep being there for me.”

“I won’t stop.” Aiba emphasizes when Nino stared in a faint disbelief. “I’ll be around. Having you around makes me happy too, you know.”

“And I want to keep doing magic tricks. It’s definitely complicated but it’s nothing to be ashamed of. I can make a good living out of it.”

“I’ll still be needing a resident magician at the bar for a long while.”

Aiba smiles, now focusing on Nino as he intertwines their fingers and holds on. “And I’m happy that you’re happier now. I’m not saying that you weren’t happy before but you’re, what is it called, more content?”

“Maybe.”

“And if that’s how it is, it’s how it is, right? You found that miracle, didn’t you?”

“I’m not big on miracles. Why can’t we just live life as it is?”

“Living life as it is _is_ a miracle; sometimes we simply forget.”

“You are definitely one of my miracles.” Nino steps down from his seat, wrapping himself around Aiba and holding him in a hug. “Thank you.”

“Nino,” Jun says, coming back to the kitchen, “Satoshi’s on the phone asking for you.”

“What does he want now?” Nino reluctantly pulls away from Aiba before shuffling himself toward the bedroom.

“I always thought that Satoshi was Nino’s imaginary friend,” Aiba says, straightening his sweater.

“He is.” Jun opens another can of beer for Aiba.

“Well, I’m glad you decided to entertain him all the same.”

“Aiba-chan, you can’t even see all of us,” Jun says, “yet you understand him the most.”

Aiba sheepishly smiles. “I like him.”

“I do, too,” Jun continues. “And you are important to him. I’m not going to cut him out of such an important part of his life.”

“Don’t you think you should tell him, not me, about this?”

“You know how he is. He doesn’t want to listen.”

“It doesn’t mean that he’s not listening in the first place.”

Jun grins, offering his hand. “You are welcome in our house any time.”

Aiba accepts the offered hand, giving it a firm shake. “As you are too in my bar. Any time.”

“Thank you,” Jun holds his hand tight.

Aiba knows that Jun wasn’t saying thank you only because he’s welcome at the bar. It’s a thank you for so much more. Thank you for understanding us, thank you for keeping an eye on him for me. Thank you for taking care of my Nino when I’m not able to.

“You’re welcome.”

In the background Sho’s clapping happily, mouthing, “Well done, Jun.” Ohno smiles widely besides her.

“I thought you were going to keep Nino in the bedroom for a while,” Jun silently scolds them two, rolling his eyes. “You had one task!”

“He’s very kind,” Sho says, walking around Aiba. “And he smells nice.”

“He is and he does,” Ohno says, pitying the young man a little because he can’t see them. It would be so much better if he could.

“I’ll get Nino so he can walk you out.” Jun sets his untouched beer on the counter.

“Okay,” Aiba reaches for his beer, clueless of Jun ushering two fairies out of his kitchen, and waits for Nino.

 

“Thank you for tonight, Aiba-chan.” Nino reaches out, fixing Aiba’s jacket, ignoring the question and raised eyebrow. “Stay warm.”

“I will.” Eyes crinkled, Aiba gives his winning smile. “I’ll see you next week.”

“With my new tricks.”

“Yes.” Aiba gives Nino one last nudge before heading out the door. “Good night.”

Outside, Aiba turns left toward the stairs and green thread sparks follow him. Nino can’t contain his satisfied smile; he and Ohno have done well. Now Aiba is officially, no, magically, part of him, a fact that comforts him.

Nino walks back to the kitchen, finding Sho and Ohno crowding Jun while the poor guy tries to wash the dishes.

“I said, never touch my precious china bowls. Don’t.”

“I was trying to help.”

“You’re my fairy god, not my maid,” Jun scolds. “Your maid dress notwithstanding.”

Ohno laughs at that, earning a smack from Sho.

“And what are you doing here, Satoshi? I said I don’t need any help.”

“I’m just sending you helpful vibes.”

“Not getting any.” Jun dips another dish into the soapy water. “Just get lost, you two, play cribbage or something.”

“We’re not old men,” Ohno says.

“Old people,” Sho corrects him.

“Whatever.” Ohno shrugs, turning to find Nino leaning against the kitchen island, grin fixed on his face, radiant, happy and content with the situation. “Nino! You want to help?”

“No.”

Jun turns his head toward Nino along with Sho, one with a scold on his face, and one with a grin now to Nino’s liking, the familiar grin.

“Come on, it’d be fun,” Sho says, waving. “Jun can’t do anything about us crowding him, all soapy hands and all.”

“Is that a dare?” Jun says and that’s all the warning Sho gets before she squeaks when Jun’s soapy finger pokes the tip of her nose. He laughs heartily. “Consider it accepted.”

Ohno tries to step back but still gets some splash.

Nino laughs. “Come on, old man. Let’s get home tonight and leave these two all soapy.”

“Don’t you dare go out of that door before I get to kiss you goodb—,” Jun can’t finish his sentence because Sho has helpfully spread soap suds on Jun’s cheek. “Sho! That’s fucking dish soap on my face!”

“It sure is,” Sho chuckles, escaping from Jun’s reach. “Come on, I’ll walk you out before the wrath begins.”

“Jun,” Nino says, nudging Ohno to the entryway, shouting his goodbye as he goes, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

 

“Won’t you get bored?” Nino suddenly asks, swinging their joining hands a bit as they stroll toward home, enjoying in the clear autumn night.

Ohno has Nino’s hands firm on his hold. “No, I don’t think I will.”

“You stay home, floating about, taking care of me. Now with Jun and Sho around, sharing the same space, won’t you get bored?”

“It’s what I am meant to do. It’s not boring.” Ohno squeezes his hand lightly. “It never is.”

“Don’t you give me those company lines!”

Ohno stops them, keeping Nino a reach away, their hands still laced together. “Sure, we have had our difficult moments.”

Nino nods, waiting.

Ohno shrugs, a gesture Nino has long known serves as a sign of sincerity rather than indifference. “But it’s okay. We’re okay.”

“Good.”

Nino smiles and receives one in return as Ohno’s light blue wings wrap them both close, flapping gracefully, with hints of yellow sparks gently alight. They resume walking, steps lighter, hand in hand, together.

.


End file.
